This I Promise You
by TheCaptian
Summary: A short story about why Adam wears his beanies.


Promise

7 year old Adam Rove sat patiently on the couch with his hot cup of cocoon a cold winter day. He was waiting for his mother, Elizabeth to finish making him his surprise.

"And...there" Elizabeth said excitement crept in her voice. She turned around and handed it to her son who was jumping with excitement.

"A hat!" he exclaimed trying the green and yellow knit hat on.

"A beanie." Cried his mother.

"Oh thank you Mommy I love it! It matches my new winter coat!"

"I don't want you getting sick on me Adam you keep this on and stay warm. Understand?"

"Ok Mommy I promise." Adam replied

"Ok then who wants popcorn?"

"I do" Yelled little Adam.

6 Years Later-----

Small Adam Rove and his best friend Grace Polk walked home together from school. They had been best friends since they were 3 and stuck together to survive school. The two of them loved playing in sewers and getting dirty (Mostly just to make Grace's mother mad). But today was different. The two friends walked down along the creek

as usual when Grace spoke up breaking the unusual silence.

"So what are you going to do Rove?"

"I don't know. But I can't explain to my Mom how Ramsey stole my beanie. She would be upset that I got into a fight. I have tons of beanies but this one was..."

"You're Favorite."

"Yeah"

"Well then we'll get it back. Just tell you're Mom that you left it in you're locker."

"I don't think she'll buy it. She knows how much I love it and the green and yellow stripes are easy to spot despite the mess of my locker. Besides she would still be upset that I broke my promise."

"True"

With that said they quickly approached the big steps to Adam's house. Hey opened the door and they both went in. Today was cookie day. Every Wednesday Elizabeth would make cookies and they would still be warm by the time Adam and Grace would arrive. But today there were no cookies in the kitchen. In fact there was no sign of Elizabeth anywhere. Adam checked the garage and the downstairs bathroom and Grace checked the upstairs. Adam checked the bathroom but no one was there. Grace looked in Adam's room but Elizabeth was nowhere in sight. Grace loved Adam's room because besides the fact that you couldn't see the floor it was nice and there was a permanent mattress in the middle of the room where Grace often slept, and though most of the stuff in the room was Grace's Adam didn't mind and Elizabeth never asked Adam to clean his room. Grace looked down the hall in the bathroom and then finally made her way to Carl and Elizabeth's room when she saw it .She quickly called out.

"Rove! Rove come up here Fast!" Adam quickly ran up the stairs taking two at a time when he saw something that made his heart sink. His mother lying in the middle of her bedroom. He ran to her and fell down onto his knees holding, rocking her, crying, crying. She was so cold. He cried out.

"I'm sorry! I'm so so sorry! I love you Mom! I love you! I lost my favorite beanie and I'll never do it again! I promise! I promise! I'm sorry Mom! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" He looked up to find grace dialing 911. About three minutes later the paramedics arrived and wheeled her away.

It had been such a long day he just crashed. He woke up to find himself in Grace's arms wearing an older beanie on the couch he looked around and saw his father, family members and Grace's parents all over the house crying. That's anyone could do. As soon as his father realized that he was awake he waked over to him and handed him an envelope with his name on it. It was printed in the most beautiful cursive he had ever seen, it was his mothers writing. He held it in his hands his father wanted him to read it. He wouldn't. He couldn't.

3 Years Later------

"Mr. Rove please remove you're cap." Adam looked up to find his history teacher standing in front of him at his desk in the back of the classroom.

"Huh?" Adam responded.

"You're cap Mr. Rove please remove it."

"Oh uh y-yes sir." Adam placed the green and yellow striped beanie on his desk and rubbed it with his fingers.


End file.
